Background
Land degradation in Guyana, while perhaps not very visible at this stage, has been increasingly occurring and the potential exists for it to expand corresponding to an increase in the exploitation of natural resources and coastal erosion. Change in land use has been due to a rapid upsurge in economic activity over the last 10 years, in particular the agriculture, forestry, and mining sectors, with the expansion in state land leases for these commercial activities.
Guyana’s economy has traditionally depended on a strong agricultural base (rice and sugar predominantly) along with natural resource utilisation mostly within the forestry and mining sectors. These processes are driven by expanding economic opportunities and weak regulatory controls that form part of the context which ultimately facilitates land degradation. The effect of poverty reduction through economic development and social progress could be at the expense of the environment, with land degradation being one of the consequential impacts.
There is increasing evidence of incidents of land degradation, in particular over the last decade, due mainly to increased and expanded economic activities on the coast and in the interior. The short term results in poverty alleviation that result from the expansion of economic activities may over-ride the importance to protect long-term land productivity. Guyana has both an overwhelming terrestrial and marine endowment and a positive economic forecast that easily mask the consequences of land degradation processes, which are at the present time not adequately valued as externalities. A National Land Use Policy has been drafted and is before the Government of Guyana for consideration. Most of the commercial activities are implemented within the scope of sector development plans. Several of these plans, presented in the baseline analysis, have received technical assistance from the international NGO community and incorporate SLM concerns, such as integrated and participative processes, land use planning and ecosystem functionality. There are, however, gaps in these plans in terms of sustainable land management concepts or broad planning with a landscape focus.
Objectives
The principal objective of the project is to establish an enabling environment to combat land degradation through a participatory process of capacity building; mainstreaming of SLM into national development strategies and processes; broad stakeholder participation and resource allocation for SLM.
Achievements and expected results
The following are the specific outcomes of the project:
- Increased individual and institutional capacity for planning SLM at the national and regional levels;
- SLM mainstreamed and harmonised into the local and national development framework.
- To conduct investment planning and resource mobilization for implementation of SLM
- Effective project management through learning, evaluation and adaptive management.
Last Revised: March 2008
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PROJECT DETAILS
Project ID: 00047476
Status: On-going
Duration: 3 years
Management arrangements: NEX
Implementing Partner: Guyana lands and Surveys Commission |
BUDGET
Total Budget: USD 1,005,000
GEF: USD 475,000
Government: USD 110,000
Others: USD 395,000 |
FOCUS AREA
Environment
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
Nationwide |
PROGRAMME COMPONENT
(MYFF SERVICE LINE)
3.4 Sustainable land management to combat desertification and land degradation.
UNDAF OUTCOME
3. Reduce poverty to 28% by the year 2010, through the stimulation of growth and job creation.
EXPECTED OUTCOME
- Increased individual and institutional capacity for planning SLM at the national and regional level
- Mainstreaming and harmonization of SLM into the development framework
- Resources for SLM implementation mobilized within an investment planning framework
- Effective project management through learning, evaluation and adaptive management
EXPECTED OUTPUTS
- Information to support planning and decision making generated through stocktaking of the current land degradation situation with the development of a mechanism for regular update of the national profile for land degradation.
- Training in technical themes such as land capability analysis, integrated land use planning and management, land tenure analysis, drought and flood preparedness undertaken to support decision making in SLM
- Government staff demonstrate awareness of SLM concerns at the policy, institutional and regional and local government level
- Improved policy and legal instruments for SLM
- SLM integrated and NAP priorities harmonized into national development strategies and action plans to achieve MDGs
- SLM integrated into land use planning at the national and local planning level
- Identification of funding needs for SLM priorities
- Identification of incentives to stimulate investment in SLM
- Develop Medium Term Investment Plan for SLM
- Adaptive management through monitoring and evaluation determines the next development phase of, regional and community development.
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CONTACT PERSON IN UNDP
Patsy Ross
Programme Specialist
patsy.ross@undp.org |
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